News

Etowah Valley subdivision foes pack review board meeting

A standing-room-only crowd of neighbors concerned about plans for a major subdivision at the Etowah Valley golf community attended a county staff meeting Tuesday.

By Amy McCraw, Published: August 15, 2023

A standing-room-only crowd of more than 50 people objecting to plans for a 242 single-family home subdivision at the Etowah Valley golf community turned out Tuesday for a Henderson County staff meeting to review the project.

After asking a few questions from the developers of the project, the Technical Review Committee decided to forward the plans to the county Planninng Board.
The Planning Board is scheduled to take up the plans for the major subdivision at 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, at Thomas Auditorium at BRCC. The meeting will include time for members of the public to comment.
Tuesday’s meeting did not allow for public comment, but a few people voiced their concerns as they left the meeting.
Some complained that they could not hear members of the committee when they spoke. Others said they expected many people to speak against the project at the Planning Board meeting next week.
On his way out the door, neighboring homeowner David O’Connor, said he and his neighbors have several concerns about the proposal including its impact on property values and the physical and mental health of people in the area.
O’Connor said he lived in many other places but decided to settle in Etowah because of the small-town atmosphere in the community.
“I want to keep it a small town,” he said.
Jean Herrmann, who lives in the area, said she moved to the community 27 years ago from south Florida specifically to avoid the type of development that is now proposed in Etowah.
“I didn’t sign up to be in this type of environment,” she said. “This would impact our lives tremendously.”
Plans for the subdivision submitted to the county call for access to the development from U.S. 64 West and Brickyard Road. New roads will be built in the subdivision. Developers also plan to have public water serve the property from the City of Hendersonville and use a private on-site wastewater treatment facility that will be turned over to Etowah Community Sewer System after completion.
The development company that first sought permission to build a 343-unit RV park at the Etowah Valley golf community eventually withdrew the application and instead proposed to build the 242 single-family homes on the property.
Tribute Investment & Development Inc. had proposed the RV park, a new clubhouse and a wastewater treatment plant on 174 acres. The new application seeks county approval for 2.7 homes per acre on 84 acres. The subdivision plan requires a review by county planners and approval by the county Planning Board. Because the proposal does not need a rezoning, it does not go before the Board of Commissioners.